A new article has been added at Newspaper Abstracts > United States > District of Columbia http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=323 Direct link to article: http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/link.php?id=34099 Submitted by: Susan Article Title: Washington Post Article Date: July 8 1878 Article Description: A Dreadful Catalogue of Unhappy and Broken Homes Article Text: A Dreadful Catalogue of Unhappy and Broken Homes The apparent dullness of the District divorce mill of late has been occasioned by the practice, which has grown up since Justice MacArthur took charge of the court, of granting decrees privately. The wisdom, or indeed expediency of parties interested taking pains to keep such matters private, is merely a question of taste, in view of the frequent speedy marriages of the divorced couples. The privacy thus obtained is only temporary, as just as soon as the transaction is made one of record, reporters have full access to the facts. More than ordinary pains have been taken in the case of Robert W. C. Mitchell, private secretary to Carl Schurz. The early stages of his suit for divorce from his wife, Laura E. Mitchell, instituted August 11, 1877, have been pretty well ventilated. The wife’s cross bill and answer, filed August 16, were also given due publicity. The allegations of these previous documents were only exceeded in dreadful humiliations by the testimony subsequen! tly taken in the case in Chicago, this city, and elsewhere. As indicated by the cross bill, answer, reflection, etc., the contest was a very bitter one. Indeed, it was freely said at the time that on the result depended Mitchell’s retaining his place with Schurz. On May 24th, the bill and cross bill were quietly dismissed by consent of the counsel on both sides, and a new suit entered by his wife. This last move was made and the subsequent steps carried on in a carefully planned manner, so as to avoid all publicity. No opposition being made on the part of the husband, the decree was granted. The custody of the youngest child, Walter, is given to the wife and the two elder ones, Aureille J. and Robert C., to the father. This, though perhaps of most general interest, is not the only decree which has been recently gotten through without appearing on the proceedings of the court. Catherine Hands entered suit for divorce from Adam C. Hands, on January 16. The parties ! were married November 10, 1872, and had one child. The causes alleged in this case were drunkenness, non-support, and adultery. The decree gives the wife the custody of her child. The suit of Catherine E. Ward against George E. Ward has also recently been privately completed by a decree of divorce. The pair were married by the Rev. Mr. Benson, at Alexandria, January 17, 1862. Drunkenness and bad conduct generally were the causes alleged. Next comes the case of James F. Linden, who sued for divorce from his wife, Mary A. Linden, nee Eldridge. The cause set forth in the petition and sustained in the testimony was an inability on the part of the wife to fill the marriage relation. They were married by Rev. Dr. Gray in October 1874. Isaac Alexander married his late wife, who had like himself been previously married, in St. Patrick’s church, in this city, on September 19, 1876, the Rev. J. A. Walter officiating at the ceremony. On April 25, he entered suit for divorce, claiming that consummation of the marriage rite was impossible. The! decree of divorce was granted secretly, like the rest. Mr. Alexander has since remarried. Harry J. McMurray and Hattie R. Evans were married in November 1874, by Rev. B. Peyton Brown. On march 8, the wife entered suit for divorce, alleging cruelty, threats, desertion and non-support. The decree was granted, giving her the custody of their only child, a girl. The romantic marriage of Miss Mary Herbert with Manuel A. Mendez in October 1872 was also recently declared null and void by one of Justice MacArthur’s private decrees. The bill, which was filed April 1, declares that the marriage took place at the Y. M. C. A. rooms, and was against her will or consent. Rev. G. A. Hall, the then secretary of the association, celebrated the rites for the parties. The manner of the marriage and the desertion of Mendez in December 1872 were the causes for the divorce. A petition has been filed by Lester W. Burton for divorce from Nellie L. Burton. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ DC-Old-News ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ NewspaperAbstracts.com - Finding our ancestors in the news! TM http://www.NewspaperAbstracts.com